Chapter 8

The woman in front of him was beautiful. 

After a brief encounter a few days ago, many of the guys in the team were struck by her beauty and talked about her frequently. 

 Wei Shian was a man with a normal sense of aesthetics, and although he hadn’t joined in the discussions, he agreed with all the compliments his colleagues had given her. 

However, his appreciation for her was like people’s appreciation for all beautiful things—without any romantic or inappropriate thoughts. 

But now, seeing her cheeks turn pink because of something he said, Wei Shian’s heart skipped a beat, and his gaze deepened unconsciously. 

At the same time, he realized that his teasing earlier might have been somewhat inappropriate. 

The girl in front of him was certainly not like the rough guys at the station. 

Wei Shian cleared his throat and was about to apologize when he noticed that she seemed to be saying something. 

He asked, “What did you say?” 

“This isn’t…” Lu Jiu raised the book in her hand, intending to explain again. 

But after saying just a few words, she stopped. Although the novel in her hand wasn’t hers, she was also a reader of such books. Besides, they weren’t close, and her eagerness to explain felt a bit off. 

With that thought, she simply pointed to the bookstore. “It’s nothing. Officer Wei, I’m just going to return the book.” 

Wei Shian’s gaze lingered on her fluttering lashes and pink cheeks for a few seconds before he stepped aside. “Alright.” 

Lu Jiu discreetly let out a breath and was about to leave when she suddenly remembered something. She quickly returned to the car, pulled out a cup of iced milk tea from a plastic bag in the passenger seat, and handed it to him. “This is for you.” 

As she handed it over, she looked into his deep black eyes and uncertainly asked, “Officer Wei, do you like milk tea?” 

“…I do,” Wei Shian said as he accepted the cup. “Thank you.” 

Lu Jiu smiled with her eyes. “You’re welcome.” 

— 

Wei Shian’s car was also parked nearby. 

He casually tossed the DVD onto the passenger seat before placing the milk tea in the cup holder beside the gear shift. 

In truth, he had never had milk tea before, though he had heard Luo Wei complain about it a few times, saying it was delicious but hard to get since there was only one shop in the city, which had only opened in the new district last month. 

The milk tea in the bag had been bought a while ago. Although it was still cold, the cup’s surface was already covered in a layer of condensation. 

As the clear droplets slid down, the image of the woman’s flushed face, trying to appear calm, reappeared in Wei Shian’s mind. 

Come to think of it, she seemed to be constantly offering him food. 

Wei Shian lit a cigarette. He rarely smoked unless he was pulling an all-nighter for a case, so he simply held it between his fingers, letting the amusement in his eyes fade away with the smoke. 

“Knock, knock.” After a soft knock on the glass, the passenger door was pulled open. 

Wei Shian glanced over and noticed the person’s hair for a moment before asking casually, “What’s up?” 

Luo Wei, dressed in his police uniform, picked up the DVD from the passenger seat and sat down with a grin. “I knew it was your car, boss. Why haven’t you gone home yet? Perfect timing, can you drop me off at the tea house on North Lane  Road?” 

Wei Shian glanced at the bookstore not far away and, seeing a familiar figure emerge, asked, “Going on a date?” 

“As expected of you, boss. You guessed it right away.” 

“It was easy to guess.” That hairstyle probably used up half a bottle of mousse—hard to miss. 

Luo Wei didn’t catch the sarcasm in his boss’s voice. As he buckled his seatbelt, he cheerfully said, “It’s not exactly a date, more like a matchmaking meeting. The matchmaker said the girl is very beautiful and very gentle.” 

“Weren’t you just at a matchmaking meeting a few days ago?” 

“Hey, don’t mention it. Last time, just a few minutes in, the girl got a call from an alarm clock and left.” Thinking of his previous date, Luo Wei was full of complaints. “If she didn’t like me, she could have just said so directly. Why make up some story about a friend having an emergency?” 

Wei Shian chuckled. “She wasn’t wrong—she was just being polite.” 

“I’m not saying she was wrong, just that… We’re police officers, boss. We can see through those little tricks in an instant. I was embarrassed for her. Anyway, let’s drop it. Let’s get going. Hey, wait a minute, boss, isn’t that the beauty who brought you water and snacks? What a coincidence!” Luo Wei was suddenly struck by the appearance of the woman. 

And he wasn’t content just to be surprised—he started pushing his boss. “Boss, go talk to her! We’re close to the station, but places like video stores attract all sorts. With her goddess-like looks, it’s not exactly safe.” 

Wei Shian ignored Luo Wei’s rambling, and only after ensuring that she had driven away safely did he start the car. 

Seeing this, Luo Wei looked at him with disappointment. “What a missed opportunity! Weren’t you tempted at all? If it were me and I didn’t know better, I’d have already gone over there myself.” 

Being tempted doesn’t necessarily mean taking action. 

Wei Shian turned the wheel and merged the car into the traffic. 

That girl was both beautiful and delicate, clearly someone who had been well-cared for in a sheltered environment. Being a criminal investigator was a job that, once you got busy, could mean not being seen for ten days to half a month—what could he offer her? 

Luo Wei was talkative, but his boss was a man of few words. So, after talking himself hoarse with no response, Luo Wei gave up on playing matchmaker and started looking for a drink. 

It was then that he noticed, to his surprise, that there was a cup of unopened milk tea in the car—a rare sight, considering his boss didn’t have a sweet tooth. Naturally, Luo Wei reached out to grab it. 

It’s not that he wasn’t considerate; the bond between brothers in the same team had made them used to sharing things. Especially since his boss was quite generous. 

But this time, there was an exception. 

“Smack!” Before Luo Wei could touch the milk tea, his hand was slapped away. 

Wei Shian’s tone was indifferent. “That’s mine.” 

Luo Wei looked at him in disbelief. “But you don’t like sweets.” 

“Occasionally, it’s good to try something new.” 

“Boss, you’re acting weird. There’s no milk tea in the old district. Who gave it to you?” 

Wei Shian’s expression didn’t change. “Someone you don’t know. What’s your date’s profession?” 

Luo Wei was still thinking about the milk tea, so he answered absentmindedly, “An elementary school teacher.” 

“Then maybe you should wash out that hair gel.” 

Luo Wei’s attention was indeed diverted. He quickly pulled down the car mirror and checked his reflection from side to side. “What’s wrong? Isn’t it handsome?” 

Wei Shian thought, Handsome? Even a fly would slip and fall on that hair. 

— 

Back at his uncle’s house. 

It was almost 7 PM. 

Fortunately, the summer days were long, and there was still a bit of sunset lingering in the sky. 

By the time they finished dinner and took a shower, the sky had fully darkened. 

Lu Jiu, thinking about the 50 pounds of peony seeds, went back to her room early. 

At that moment, Lu Xinxin followed her in with a playful expression. “Auntie~” 

Lu Jiu didn’t even lift her eyelids. “What are you up to with that strange tone?” 

Lu Xinxin clasped her hands together, striking a pose. “Oh~ my beautiful auntie, did anything wonderful happen today when you went to the city that you’d like to share with your niece?” 

“What do you mean?” Lu Jiu finally looked at her niece. 

“Ahem… was there really nothing?” Lu Xinxin blinked her large almond-shaped eyes, her still-chubby face full of suspicion. Given her aunt’s connection with Officer Wei, they surely should have met. 

Lu Jiu mimicked her niece, blinking innocently. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, but I did hear Auntie say that you didn’t study during the day and only copied song lyrics?” 

Lu Xinxin jumped. “I copied them after studying, and it was only for half an hour!” 

Lu Jiu smiled gently, her expression exceptionally soft. “Well, I don’t know about that, but Uncle said he was going to throw it away.” 

“Ah!!! I drew Tezuka Kunimitsu and Atobe Keigo on that!” Lu Xinxin wailed as she rushed out. “Grandpa! Don’t throw it away! I promise I won’t tell Mom and Dad about you secretly watching TV at night anymore.” 

“You brat, I wondered how your parents found out I was staying up late. I didn’t throw away your stuff. What else are you hiding? Hand it over!” 

“Auntie, you betrayed me!” 

Lu Jiu chuckled mischievously as she locked her bedroom door, shutting out the noisy chaos. 

Fairies are known for their strong sense of revenge. 

“Auntie, open the door!” 

Not a chance! 

Ignoring her niece’s tantrum, Lu Jiu began laying out a mat on the floor near the window. 

Once it was laid out, she poured out all fifty pounds of peony seeds, forming them into a hollow circle. 

Lu Jiu sat in the middle of the circle, cross-legged, with her palms facing upward. 

She decided to absorb the spiritual energy before going to sleep. 

As for Officer Wei, she probably wouldn’t encounter him again. 

With that thought, Lu Jiu slowly closed her eyes, focusing her mind on drawing in the surrounding spiritual energy. 

— 

“Cock-a-doodle-doo!” 

The next day, at dawn. 

The morning light was still shrouded in a faint mist. 

Under the thin blanket, Lu Jiu, awakened by the crowing of the rooster, rolled over and stretched lazily. 

The small amount of spiritual energy she had absorbed from a handful of seeds was nothing compared to the fifty pounds she had now. 

Although it still wasn’t enough to flow through her entire body, it was sufficient to cleanse her exposed limbs and the area above her neck. 

No woman dislikes beauty, and this is especially true for female fairies. 

Haven’t you noticed how beautiful those fairies are once they take human form? 

Lu Jiu got out of bed and walked to the dressing mirror, carefully examining her reflection. Her skin had become even fairer and more delicate, making her look even more beautiful, which pleased her greatly. 

Take it slow. I shouldn’t change too quickly. 

She wasn’t in a rush. Sooner or later, she would catch up to the other flower fairies. 

“Wow~ Auntie, how is it that after just one night, you’ve become even more beautiful?” The high schooler, who had been dragged out of bed by her grandmother, woke up instantly at the sight of her stunning aunt. 

Is it that obvious? I didn’t even dare use all the spiritual energy on my face to avoid changing too much. 

Lu Jiu remained calm. “What makes you think I look better?” 

Lu Xinxin leaned in for a closer look. “It seems like your skin is a bit fairer and your eyes are even more defined. Ah, I can’t be sure, but you just look prettier.” 

Lu Jiu breathed a sigh of relief, raising her hand to poke the little girl. “Your sweet talk starts early in the morning.” 

“Hehe… Auntie, could you lend your phone to your sweet niece to send a couple of messages?” 

— 

In the days that followed, Lu Jiu became very busy. 

She rented land, hired workers, planted seeds, and prepared to open a flower shop. 

Even though many of the tasks were handled by professionals, she was still busy from dawn to dusk. 

For two whole months, Lu Jiu frequently traveled between the city and the countryside. 

As a result, she faced complaints from her parents and sister for not spending enough time with them. 

Lu Jiu could only repeatedly assure them that once the shop opened, she would have more free time. 

This was true. Her family was wealthy, and her sister and Brother Fengming(Lu Jiu Brother in-law) would take care of the company in the future. 

She could easily become a wealthy idle person, living off dividends. 

Opening a flower shop was purely to satisfy her hobby and pass the time. 

But since she had decided to open it, Lu Jiu wanted it to be perfect. 

Not necessarily to make a profit, but at least not to lose money, right? 

So, starting off by being personally involved was essential. 

Of course, because she was so busy, some things happened just as she had anticipated. 

She didn’t have any extra time to run into or even think about the Officer Wei she had once been fond of. 

And that bit of affection, diluted by time and busyness, gradually faded to nothing. 

Right now, what Lu Jiu cared about most was the grand opening of her flower shop the day after tomorrow, October 8th!